Whatever its legitimacy, the organizers of the Enhanced Games know how to grab attention. A launch on Wednesday was accompanied by a glossy one-hour film, a sales platform for prescription performance enhancers and the claim of a new 50-meters freestyle world record by Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev.

"He should be retired, but in fact, he's swimming faster than any human being has ever done so. Why? Because he used technology and science to enhance his performance," boasted founder Aron D'Souza.

"Once the world realizes that, I think everyone is going to want it. Every middle-aged guy who once played competitive sport and is now suffering from back pain is going to say, 'What is he on and how do I get it?'"

Gkolomeev, who has failed to reach the podium in his four Olympic performances, will not be credited by any official body for a number of reasons; there is no independent adjudication, he was wearing an inline full-body open water suit that falls outside World Aquatics standards and, most pertinently, there was no doping control. In fact, performance-enhancing drugs are demanded by organizers who also claim Gkolomeev broke........

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